Spray coating machine



Allg- 21, 1945. R. E. sYKEs ETAL SPRAY COATING MACHINE Filed June 14, 1945 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 055.22? E. SYKES, BERNARD H .M0555 Aug- 21, 1945. R. E. sYKEs ET AL SPRAY COATING MACHINE SSheet's-Sheet 3 Filed June 14, 1945 F0555? ./37 EYKES, .EEJQNAED H Msm Aug. 21, 1945. R. E. sYKEs ET AL SPRAY COATING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 14, 1943 EJE/MTE 5m s, Emmy@ ZMSEB Aug 21, 1945. R. E. sYKEs ETAL SPRAY COATING'MACHINE Filed June 14, 1943 8 Sheets-'Sheet 5 Iillll A INVENTORJI "Q... /'BMTE SYKES,

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R. E. sYKEs ETAL 2,383,023

SPRAY COATING MACHINE Filed June 14, 1943 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 i'll" J2 6 146 IN V EN TORS FUERTE. fKES.` BEEN/:.1217 JEU/05M Allg- 21, 1945. R. E. sYKEs ETAL SPRAY COATING MACHINE Filed June 14, 1943 8 Sheets-Sheet '7 9 Jil m. l1 zi 06.

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Aug. 21, 1945. R. E. SYKES Em. l2,383,023

SPRAY COATING MACHINE Filed June 14, 1943 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 14E-1Q- m Patented Aug. 2l, .1945

UNITED STATES PATENT oFrics SPRAY CDATING E Robert E. Sykes and Bernard Il. Moser, Toledo,

Ohio, assignors to The De Vilbiss Company, f. Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application June 14, 1943, serial No. 490,710

22 Claims.

Y articles to be sprayed, which for convenience will hereinafter be referred to as shells are fed to and from and through a spraying zone by a conveyor, in the present instance, of the endless type, the shells are rotated, and interior and exterior spraying guns are operated to have predetermined movements whereby an eilicient spraying of both the inner and outer surfaces of each shell throughout its entire length, or a predetermined portion thereof, is effected in the spraying zone, preferably during continuous and uninterrupted movement of the conveyor.

The primary object of the invention is the provision, in a, machine of this character, of simple and efiicient means which is operable during movement of a. shell through the spraying zone to effect movement of a spray gun or unit both with the shell in its conveyor actuated travel, and into and out of the shell, so that the entire interior surface thereof may be coated.

A further object of the invention is the provision, in a machine of this character, of simple and eiilcient means, including inside and outside shell coating guns, operable during movement of a shell through the spraying zone, to move both with the shell in its travel with the conveyor'and lengthwise thereof, so that the whole or predetermined portions of the interior and exterior surfaces of the shell may be coated.

Further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings illustrating one embodiment thereof. and in which- Figure l is a side elevation of a portion of the machine embodying the invention, with parts broken away and with the swing plunger lowered; Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, with parts broken away and some removed, and with the normal position of the swinging gun-carrying means shown in full and with its forward swinging position shown in dotted lines; Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3 3 in Fig. 1, with parts broken away and with the swing parts in the position shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 4 4 in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section on the line 5 5 in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a cross-section taken approximately on the line 3 3 in Fig. 1 with the view reversed from that of Fig. 3, and with parts broken away and removed; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation, with parts in section on the line 1 1 in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary elevation of the clutchv pin raising means shown inv Fig. 6; Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section of the 5 spray gun swinging means of the machine, with parts broken away and parts in full; Fig. l0 is a fragmentary side elevation thereof, viewing it from the opposite side to that of Fig. 9; Fig. V11 is a central longitudinal horizontal section, with l0 parts in full, of one of the gun operating control units; Fig. 12 is a central longitudinal horizontal section, with parts in full, of the control unit, with its operating cam, for raising and lowering the guns; Fig. 13 is a central longitudinal section 15 of the outside spraying gun; Fig. 14 is a fragmentary section of the spray nome of the inside gun, with parts in full; Fig. 15 is an end view of the spray cap of the inside gun; Fig. 16 is an enlarged fragmentary section, with parts in full, taken on the line It-I in Fig. 3; Fig. 17 is an enlarged central vertical longitudinal section of the cushion means for checking the swinging movements of the gun-crryins means; Fig. 18 is a diagram of the swing and spray zones for the guns, and Fig. 19 is a diagram of the operating air connections and valves for the guns.

Referring to the drawings, l (Fig. 1) designates a base frame having a vertical drive shaft 2 journaled therein and fixedly carrying a large circular member 3, in the present instance a sprocket wheel, at its upper end for rotation in a horizontal plane. 'I'he shaft is slowly driven, in the present instance, from a motor I through a belt 5, which drives a worm shaft 8, the worm of which is in mesh with a worm wheel 1 on the shaft 2.

A work carrying sprocket chain l, at one end of its course, passes around the sprocket wheel 3 and is driven thereby. This chain, at equidistantly spaced intervals throughout its length, has its link pintles I0 projected upwardly above the plane of the chain and each forming a stub shaft or pin on which a work piece ii, which may be referred to as a shell," may be mounted to be carried with the chain and to have rotation about its longitudinal axis and that of its supporting pin. In the present instance, a shell supporting holder or cradle i2 is rotatably mounted on each pin Ill.

In Figs. 3 and 18, A indicates the zone in which the inner spray gun swings and sprays, B the zone in which the outer gun swings andsprays, and a and b approximately the zones in which the spraying of said guns respectively occur.l Each holder I 2 (Fig. 2) with its shell Il, when 55 passing through the zones A, B, is rotated on its supporting pin by the inner run of a drive belt I4 engaging a sheave I5 (Fig. 1) on the holder. I'his belt is guided for ay horizontal run by sheaves I6, one of which has its shaft connected by a worm and gear connection I1 to a shaft carrying a sheave I8 with which the drive belt 5 engages. The sheave I6 is carried by a spring held lever I9 to take up slack in the belt I4. A hollow swing column 20 is mounted on an rises from the central portion of the sprocket wheel 3 for concentric rocking movements relative thereto. The lower end of this column is closed by abottom member 2l (Fig. 9) which has Gun' raising and lowering means A hollow cylindrical guide plunger 26, open at its lower end, is mounted for'longitudinal reciprocatory movements in the swing column 20, being guided thereby. in the present instance, by a bearing bushing 21 set into the upper end of the column 2l and to which the guide plunger 26 is feathered so as to turn with the column. An arm 28 xedly projects from the upper end of the guide plunger 23 transversely of its axis, and, in the present instance, is ilxed at its inner end to the plunger through the medium of a plug part 29. This arm carries the spray gun 30 for passing vertically into and out of a registering shell II and spraying its interior during a portion of its passage through the zone A, as hereinafter described.

A fluid pressure cylinder 35 (Fig. 9) ilxedly rises from the bottom 2| of the swing column 20 and extends upward within the guide plunger 26 centrally thereof and to near its top. A cupped plunger 36 operates within the cylinder 35 dividing it into upper and lower compartments, and has its rod or stem31 projecting upward through a packing gland at the upper end of the cylinder 35 and attached at its outer end to the top part 29 of the guide plunger 26, so that the rod and Vits plunger 36 have reciprocatory movements Iwith the guide plunger 25. 'I'he admission and exhaust of air or other operating fluid under pressure to and from the lower and upper compartments of the cylinder 35 is eiected through tubes 38 and 33, respectively. These tubes connect with a control valve 4l, a preferred embodiment of which is shown in detail in Fig. 12.

The valve 45 includes a casing 4I having a cylindrical valve chamber 42 lengthwise therein in which a valve core 43 operates. 'I'his core has a reduced stem portion carrying three longitudinally spaced cup plungers 44, 45 and 46, which divide the chamber 42 into three Separate sections. A pressure supply port 41, in communication with any suitable source of air or other fluid pressure supply, is provided in the casing in constant communication with the center compartment, which is between the cups 45 and 46, while ports 48 and 43 in the casing communicate alternately with the center chamber when the valve is reciprocated, and connect respectively with the tubes 38 and 33. The valve 43 has an exposed head 58 at the outer end of the casing and the valve is normally held at the limit of its outward movement by a coiled expansion spring 5I within a. chamber in the opposite end portion of the casing. Each end chamber of the valve has a respective exhaust port 52, the exhaust through which is properly metered by a metering valve 53 to suit operating conditions. A rocker 55 of bell crank form is fulcrumed to the valve casing 4I for rocking movements in a horizontal plane and has one armI held in side thrust engagement with the outer end of the valve head 50 by a spring 56, while the opposite arm carries a roller 51 for engagement with a stationary cam 58. The valve 40 is mounted on a 'bracket 60 which is fixed to the outer side of the swing cylinder 20 near its lower end,and the valve roller 51 is intended to engage the cam 58 at a predetermined point in a forward swinging movement of the cylinder 20, eiected as hereinafter described. 'I'he cam 58 is carried by a bracket 59 projecting from the frame upright 25 and is adjustably flxed thereto by bolts engaging through a segmental slot 6I in the bracket. The slot 6I is concentric to the swing axis of the valves 40.

'I'he valve core 43 is normally held in its outward position under the action of the spring 5I with the air line 38 in communication with the air supply port 41 and with the air line 39 in communication with the right hand exhaust port 52, so that the plunger 36 and connectedl parts, including the spray gun carrying arm 28, are normally at the upper ends of their strokes, with the long discharge nozzle 3|y of the inside spraying gun 30 raised above the path of movement of the shells II with the conveyor. When the inside spraying gun is thus in its raised position, it normally stands approximately. at the rear end of its swinging stroke. As each shell on the conveyor moves into vertical register with the spray gun 30 in its raised position, the swing cylinder is coupled to the sprocket wheel 3, as herein after described, and is caused to swing with it through the arc A. Approximately when the movement of the swing parts is started, the trip roller 51 of the valve 4I! engages the cam 58, thus causing movement of the valve plunger to reverse the air pressure, supply to the power cylinder 35, so as to open the air supply through the tube 39 to the upper end of the cylinder and open the exhaust from its lower end through the tube 38. This imparts a downstroke to the plunger and causes the long discharge Anozzle 3| of the gun 30 to pass down into the registering shell. I 'Ihe downstroke of the plunger is quite rapid and, as soon as it has been accomplished, the trip roller 51 passes from the .cam 58 and permits the valve plunger 43 to return to its normal position, which reverses the air flow to the power cylinder 35, so that the plunger and spray gun are forced upward by air admitted to the cylinder through the tube 38. 'I'he speed of this upward stroke is regulated to suit the spraying action by proper adjustment of the exhaust metering valve 53 at the right of Fig. 12.

Swing means A forward swinging movement is imparted to the lswing column 20 and associated parts each time a shell passes through the zone A by reason of an associated catch pin 65 on the member 3 engaging a catch nger 66 that is pivotally carried by an arm 61 projecting from the lower end of the swing column 23, in the present instance, below the bracket 60, as best shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 9. This iinger is of bell crank form and has one arm downwardly angled to stand in the path of movement of the pin 55, while its other arm carries an adjustable screw 68 which, when the swing parts have been given the intended limit of swing, will strike a stop linger 69 on a stationary bracket 10 and effect a tripping of the catch finger 6i to release the engaged pinl. The bracket 1l is attached to the frame upright 25.

When release of a pin B5 and catch linger Il has been eil'ected. the swinr parts are returned or swung rearward to normal position by a spring 12 connected at one end to a bracket arm 13 on the swing cylinder "Il and at its other end to a bracket arm 14 on the frame upright 25. The swinging movements ofthe swing parts are cushioned in both directions by a iiuid check means 15 connecting the two bracket arms 13 and 1I. This check means includes a cylinder member 16 (Fig. 17). pivoted at one end to the bracket arm 14, and a plunger member 11, the stem of which projects from the opposite end oi the cylinder member and is attached to the bracket arm 13. Themember 1t includes a cylinder 18 in which the plunger works and a iluid storage chamber 19.Y which has communication with the inner end of the cylinder 1l, through a port 80, and has communication with the opposite end of said cylinder through two longitudinally spaced ports 8l and 82. The port B2, which is farthest from the port 80, has a metering valve 83 therein, while the port BI has an inwardly opening check valve 8l therein. On the outward stroke of the plunger the fluid is admitted to the left end of the cylinder through both ports 87| and 82. the check valve opening for that purpose. During the return movement. however. the check valve closes so that the only exhaust of uid from the left end of the cylinder is through the meteredport. thus retarding the fluid discharge from such end sufficiently to cushion the return stroke of the plunger the desired extent.

A plurality of catch pins 65 are carried in circular series by lthe sprocket wheel 3 concentric to its axis and in equidistantly spaced relation corresponding to the spacing of the shell carrying pins I0. 'I'hese pins are vertically movable in the sprocket wheel and each is yield-l ingly retained in either a raised or a lowered position by a spring pressed detent I5 (Figs. 9 and 16) engaging a registering one of two longitudinally spaced circumferential grooves in the pin.

In order to insure a spraying action of the spray parts only when thereis a shell on the holder I2 with which a respective pin 65 is associated during a movement of the shells around the sprocket wheel, a pin depressing arm 9B is employed. Such arm swingingly `projects from a bracket 9| on the frame standard 25 over the sprocket wheel at the side thereof which is turning into engagement with` the sprocket chain and in position for a cam S2 thereon to engage and depress a pin passing thereunder. A spring 93 normally holds the arm 90 in its outwardly swung position, which is its pin depressing position (Fig. 6).

The shaft 94, which carries the arm 90, has a shell engaging nger 95 projecting therefrom in position for each shell Il, as it passes such linger in its forward travel with the sprocket chain, to have sliding engagement with the linger and to force it inwardly a 'distance sumcient to swing the arm SII with its cam 92 out of depressing relation to the associated pin 6I. It is thus apparent that if there is no shell on a holder I2. as the carrying portion of the sprocket chain moves into engagement with the sprocket wheel, the arm 80 will be permitted to remain in its normal position and thus effect a depressing of the associated catch pin 66. It is also apparent that if there is a shell on such holder the arm l! will be swung inwardly thereby out of depressing relation to the associated catch pin, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 6, thus leaving the pin in its upwardly extended position to eii'ect subsequent operation oi' the parts with which it is intended to engage. A pin l5, when thus depressed, remains in such position until the pin is adjacent to the point at which the sprocket chain leaves the wheel, where it is engaged at its lower end and forced up by a cam 96 (Figs. 8 and 8) on the frame I.

Spfail auns dnd controls The spraying means includes an inside spraying gun 3l carried bythe swinging arm 28 and an outside spraying gun I 0l carried by and at the lower end of an arm III (Fig. 10) depending from the `inner end of the arm 2l at one side of the swing column 20. The spraying of the inside of a shell by the gun 30 takes place during the movement of the shell through the spraying zone a, and the spraying of the next preceding shell by the outside spraying gun 100 takes place simultaneously therewith duri-ng the movement of such next shell through the spraying zone b. and this occurs during an upward stroke of the cylinder 28.

The spray gun |00 is iixedly mounted on a rocker arm |02 (Fig. 10) that swingingiy de- Dends from the lower end oi the arm I III and has a roller |03 riding on a vertically disposed y cam track IM' that is ilxed to a side of the swing column 20. The upper maior portion of the track IM is vertical. while its lower end portion is slightly linclined toward the roller I, so that the line of spray discharge from the gun will be tilted upward a greater extent when the roller is operating on the inclined portion o! the track than when operating on the vertical portion. The purpose of this is to better facilitate the spraying of the lower end of a shell. I'he pressure of the roller |03 against the track I is opposed by a roller Il!! on the arm IUI acting against a track |06 on the swingj column 2l. The roller IBI is held against the track I by a spring |01.

The spray guns 30 and Ill are the same in construction and operation except that the former has a long discharge nozzle 3| to adapt it to be projected into a shell. The outside gun IIIII is shown in section in Fig. 13 and includes a needle valve I I0 for the discharge orifice which is held normally closed by a spring III and is opened by admission of air pressure through a port H2 into a cylinder III against a' plunger H4. Material to be sprayed is admitted to the discharge orifice through a port Il! and air under pressure is admitted to the discharge orice to eilect spraying through a passage I II. This gun is of well-known construction and nothing new is claimed for it. The spray head is preferably of the fan spray type. A sectional view of the spray nozzle of the inside gun l0 is shown in Fig. 14. 'I'he cap of this nozzle has side discharging spray slots as shown in Fig. 15.

The inside gun 3l has its material port IIB connected through a tube II1 to a tank III containing a material to be sprayed and its air passages or ports H2 and I I8 are connected through tubes ||3 and |23 to a. control valve |2| carried, in the present instance, by the frame upright 25. The outside gun |30 has its material supply tube |22 either connected to the tank ||3 or to another material supply tank (not shown), as may be desired, while the two air tubes |23 and |24 of this gun are connected to a control valve |25 carried by the frame upright 25.

The control valves |2| and |25 for the supply of operating air to the inside gun 33 and outside gun |33, respectively, are o! the same construction, so that a description of one, as shown in Fig. ll, will suilice for both. Each of these control valves includes a casing |23 having a longitudinally extending fbore |21 in which a valve core |23 operates. This core carries a plurality of plunger cups |29 dividing the bore into four compartments |30, |3I, |32 and |33. The casing has a high pressure inlet port |34 in communication with the compartment |30; a high pressure outlet port in communication with the compartment |3| when the valve |23 is in left hand position, as shown. and in communication with the compartment |30 and with the high pressure supply port |34 when the piston is moved to its right hand position. An exhaust port |33 to the atmosphere is also provided from the compartment |3 A low pressure inlet port |31 opens into the compartment |33. When the core is in its left position, a low pressure outlet port |33 opens from the compartment |32, and when the core has been moved to the right the ports |31 and |38 are in communication. Inasmuch as low pressure air is used for atomization at the gun, the tube from the port |33 leads to the'gun H5, while the high pressure outlet port |35 of the control is connected to the gun passage ||2 for retracting the needle valve ||0. When no spraying is taking place and the piston |23 of the control valve is in its left hand position, as shown in Fig. 11, the exhaust port |35 is in communication through the port |35 and its connecting tube with the gun passage ||2, so' as to relieve pressure on the operating side of the gun DiS- ton ||4.

The valve core |23 at its right hand end is provided with a piston |40 operating in a chamber |4I, having at its outer end an air supply and exhaust port |42 in communication through a tube |43 with the high pressure supply tube |44 that also has connection with and supplies air to the high pressure port |34. A metering oriiice |45is provided in the tube |43 so that high pressure air may be slowly supplied therethrough to the piston chamber |4|. 'Ihe port |42 has unrestricted communication through a tube |43 with a proper one of a pair of bleed valves |41, |49 (Figs. 2, 3 and 16), which respectively control the spray guns 30 and |03, as hereinafter described. The lett end of the piston |23 is acted on by a spring |53, the tension of which is controlled by a, screw plug |5I, to move the pistons to the right when the spring pressure overcomes the air pressure in the chamber |4|. When the connected bleed valve |41 or |43 is closed, as is its normal condition, the high pressure air metering through the oriilce |45 builds up suilicient pressure in the piston chamber |4| to overcome the pressure of the spring |50, thus moving the valve core |23 and piston |43 to inoperative spraying position, as shown in Fig. 11. Upon an opening of a connected bleed valve, the pressure in the chamber |4| is quickly relieved and the valve core is moved to the right to operative spraying position by the spring |53. When.

this occurs the' high pressure air passing through the ports |34 and |33 actuates the associated gun piston ||4 to retract the needle valve ||3, while the low tpressure air through the ports |31 and |33 efl'ects the spraying operation. The stopping of the sprayingaction almost immediately iollows a closing oi' the bleed valve as the volume oi' air passing through the metering port |45 very quickly builds up the pressure in the chamber |4| and bleed line |46.

The two, bleed valves |41, I 43 are iixedly mounted on a bracket plate |55, which encircles the lower end portion o1 the swing cylinder 23 adjacent to the sprocket wheel 3 and is in turn ilxedly carried by the U-shaped bracket 13 projecting from the drame upright 25. These valves are spaced clrcumierentially, and, with the present relationship of the'various parts, are disposed substantially within the swing zone A of the arm 23. Each valve, in the present instance, as shown in Fig. 1 6, is carried :by a bracket arm |51 that is attached to the supporting plate |55 by a bolt |53 and spacing sleeve |53.

Each bleed valve includes a casing |30 (Fig. 16) having a chamber |8| therein with which the bleed tube |43 communicates and which encloses a valve member |52 normally held by a spring |33 in closing relation to bleed ports |34. The valve member |52 has a stem projecting outward from the casing, so that inward pressure thereon will eiect an opening of the valve. A trip lever |35 (Figs. 3 and 16) for the bleed valve is mounted for rocking movements around the spacing sleeve |59 and has a cam arm |31 projecting outward therefrom in thepath of movement of the trip pins 65. A linger |68 rises from the arm |31 and carries a thrust screw |59 in position to engage the outer end of the valve stem |65 and impart an inward valve opening movement thereto when the arm |51 is tripped by a pin 65. The bolts |53 o1 the two relief valve units are projected through an arcuate slot in the plate |55 to facilitate adjustment ot the units around the swing axis to suit the points in a rotation oi the member 3 at which it is desired to have the inside and outside spraying operations take place.

Operation In the operation of the machine in its present `embodiment, it will be understood that shells are placed in the holders |2 at some point in the course of the conveyor chain 9 before reaching the sprocket wheel 3, and also that the trip pins on the wheel, which are disposed at the inner run of the wheel between the cams 92 and 93, are

55 there is no shell passes the iinger 95, the trip cam 92 will be permittedto remain in its normal position and eil'ect a tripping of the associated pin 55, at approximately the point din its movement (Fig. 18), thus moving it to its lowered inoperative position which it retains until it has reached ille raising cam 95 in approximately the radial It will be understood that the pins 35 are spaced around the wheel in accordance with the spacing of the holders I2 and that each pin that becomes.

associated with a shell in its movement around the wheel axis has, in the present instance, a trailing action with respect to such shell. In other words, with the present arrangement, the radial line of the wheel in which the pin 65 of an associated pin and shell is disposed, which line is indicated at f in Fig. 3,. is spaced approximately 30"v rearwardly from the radial line g in which the associated shell axis is disposed.

`When the shell axis is approximately at theV point of beginning of the zone A, the catch finger 66 carried by the arm 61, projecting from the swing column 20, will have been engaged by a catch pin 65, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, thus causing the swing column 20 and the parts carried thereby to move with the wheel, with the inside gun 30 swinging substantially through the zone A and the outside gun swinging substantially through the zone B. When such movement is completed, the catch lever 66 will have engaged the stop 69, thereby moving the lever to release the engaged pin 65 and permitting the swing parts to be returned to normal -position by the action of the spring 12, the return movement being cushioned by the check 15.

During said forward swinging movement, the roller 51 of the control valve 40 engages the cam 58 and effects a movement of the core member of such valve to admit iiuid pressure to the upper end of the cylinder 35 and cause a lowering of the plunger 36 Within the swing column and a corresponding lowering of the inside and outside guns 30 and |00,\with the former entering a registering shell. When the do'wnstroke of the two guns has been completed, roller 51 will have moved from the cam 5B, thus permitting a return of the core member of the valve 40 to normal position so as to admit air under pressure to the lower end of the plunger 36 and eect a raising of the guns.

At approximately the beginning of the raising movement of the guns the catch pin 65, associated with the shell I I into which the gun 30 has been lowered, will have moved into engagement with and tripped the cam lever |61 associated with the bleed valve |41 to trip such valve and relieve the pressure in the chamber I 4I of the associated control valve |2| This permits movement of the core |28 of such valve to eiect spraying operation of the inside gun 30, as previously described. This spraying occurs during movement of the inside gun through approximately the zone a of its movement A. Approximately coincident with the tripping of the bleed valve |41 by a trip pin 65, the next preceding pin 65 will move into engagement with and trip the lever |61 of the bleed valve |48.` This will cause actuation of the spray control proximately the combined length of the arcs A, B, in which the inside and outside spraying oi.' a shell is effected, the sheave I5 of its holder I2 is engaged by the belt I4 whereby rotation is iml parted to the holder and shell. As each trip pin 65 reaches .approximately the radial line e in its cycle of movements, it will be engaged at its lower end| by the cam 96 and forced upward into catch position, if it has been previously depressed, thus completing a. cycle of operations.

It is apparent from the foregoing that during each rotation of the wheel 3, the following'operations take place:

(1) A pin 65 engages the catchlever 66 of the swing mechanism and carries the swing mechanism, including the guns, therewith throughout the swing stroke, the catch lever 'being released from the catch pin at the end of the intended stroke Iby engagement of its screw 68 with the stationary stop 69. The swing stroke in the present instance is approximately 40.

(2) During forward swinging movement of the swing parts the `valve 40 is actuated as it moves into engagement with and passes the cam 58.

` a shell is not carried by the holder, the cam 92 will remain in normal position and effect a depressing of the associated pin 65v as it passes thereunder, and the pin will retain this depressed position until it has reached the raising cam. 96

' at approximately the radial line e of-a cycle of valve |25 for the outside gun |00, so that such gun will spray the outside of the shell II which precedes the shell that, at the same time, is being inside sprayed by the gun 30. This spraying action oi the outside shell takes place during approximately the portion b of its movement B. It will be understood that the time of commencing and the period of spraying action depends on the position and length of the trip cams |61. During the initial upward movement of the gun |00, its spray is upwardly inclined due to the traveling of its roller |03 along the inclined track |04, and such incline of the spray is then lowered a predetermined extent and continued in such lowered position during the remainder of the upstroke of the vertical portion of the track.

During movement of .each shell I through apmovements.

(4) The pin 65, if raised, next acts on the cam arm` |61` of the bleed valve |41 to eiect actuation of the control valve |2| to admit operating air to the inside spray gun 30 to effect a spraying operation. 'I'his occurs during the upstroke of the gun and. while the inside gun is moving approximately throughout the arc a.

(5) The pin 65, during the next upstroke of the guns, acts on the cam arm. |61 of the bleed valve |48 t0 eiect actuation of the control valve |25 and a spraying by the outside gun. This occurs during an upstroke of the guns and While the associated shell is moving approximately through the are b of its movement.

(6) During movement of the guns through the respective arcs A, B, in which the respective spraying operations take place, the holder, containing the shell being sprayed, is rotated by the action of the belt I4.

(7) If a pin 65 has been depressed due to the absence of a shell in the associated holder, the pin will be raised to operative tripping position Iby engagement at its lower end with the cam 96 as the pin passes approximately the radial line g in its cycle, thus placing the pin in position to engage the catch lever 66 and impart a swinging stroke to the swing parts as the pin moves through its zone of engagement lwith such lever.

We Wish it understood that our invention is not limited to any specific construction, arrangement or i'orm of the parts, as it is capable of numerous modifications and. changes without departing from the spirit of the claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we ate the carrier to swing the gun throughout a predetermined arc concentric to said first arc of movement, with the gun in register with the article, means operable during swinging movement of the gun to move it into and.' out of a registering article, means for causing the gun to have a spraying action during a predetermined portion of its swinging movement with the article, and means for swinging said carrier back to starting position after a spraying operation 2. A combination as called for in claim 1 wherein the article holder is rotatably carried by the conveyor, together with means for rotating the holder with its article as it travels through the spraying zone.

3. In a machine for spray coating articles, the combination with a rotatable member, and a conveyor having at least a portion of its movement with the member and concentric to its axis of rotation and having an article holder, of a spray gun, a carrier for said gun, means opnerable to move said carrier to swing said gun throughout a predetermined arc of movement with said member and holder with the gun in spraying register with the article carried by the holder, means operable during swinging movement of the gun for imparting vertical reciprocatory movements to the carrier to vertically reciprocate it relative to the article, means for causing said gun to have a spraying action during a predetermined portion of its swinging movement with the article, and means for swinging said carrier back to starting position after a spraying operation.

4. A combination as called for in claim 3 wherein the article holder is rotatably carried by the conveyor, together with means for rotating the holder with its article as it travels through the spraying zone.

5. A combination as called for in claim 3 wherein the gun is vertically rockable, together with means for imparting predetermined rocking movements to the gun when reclprocated.

6. In a machine for spray coating hollow articles, the combination with a rotatable member, and a conveyor movable with said member having at least a portion of its movement concentric yto the axis of rotation of the member, said conveyor having/an article holder, of a swingingly mounted spray gun positioned to vertically register with said article dm'ing a portion of its said concentric movement and to swing therewith, means operable to swing the gun forward to have predetermined movement with the article in register therewith. means to return the gun to normal position after a forward swing, means operable to lower the gun into the registering article and then to retract it during its swinging movement therewith, and means operable to cause the gun 'to have a spraying action during a predetermined portion of its movement with the article and while therein.

7. A combination as called for in claim 6 wherein the article holder is rotatably carried by the conveyor together with means or rotating the holder with its article as it travels through the spraying zone.

8. In a machine for spray coating articles, the combination with a. rotatable member and a conveyor movable with and having at least a portion of its movement concentric to the axis of rotation of the member, said conveyor having a holder for an article to be sprayed, of a swingingly mounted spray gun positioned to register with a side of an article during a portion of the concentric movement of its holder with the member and to swing therewith, means operable to swing the gun forward to have predetermined movement with the article in register therewith, means to return the gun to normal position after a forward swing, means operable to vertically reciprocate the gun at a side of the registering article and during the forward swinging movement of the gun, and means operable to cause the gun to have a spraying action during a predetermined portion of its movement with the article.

9. A combination as called for in claim 8 wherein the article holder is rotatably carried by the conveyor, together with means for rotating the holder as it travels through the spraying zone.

10. In a machine for spray coating hollow articles, a rotatable member, a conveyor having at least a portion of its movement with and concentric to the axis of rotation of the member, and having a plurality of equidistantly spaced article holders, a spray gun carrier mounted over said member for vertical reciprocatory movements and for swinging movements concentric to axis of rotation of the member, an inside and an outside article spraying gun carried by the carrier with the inside gun in vertical register with an article on rthe conveyor andthe outside gun in side register with an article on the conveyor during predetermined portions oi the concentric movement of the conveyor with said member, means operable to swing the carrier forward a predetermined distance with the rotatable member and conveyor as each article carried by the conveyor moves into spraying register with each gun, means for imparting down and up strokes to the gun carrier during said swinging movement to cause the inside gun to pass into and out of registering article and the outside gun to move along the outer side of registering article, means operable to cause the guns to have spraying operation during a predetermined portion of the stroke movements of the guns, and means for returning the carrier to normal position after a forward swing.

11. A combination as called for in claim l0 wherein the article holders are rotatably carried by the conveyor, together with means for rotating each holder as it passes through the spraying zone.

12. In a machine for spray coating articles, the combination with a rotatable member and an article holder movable with the member concentric to its axis of rotation, of a catch element movably carried by said member, a gun carrier mounted for swinging movements relative to said member concentric to its axis of rotation and for vertical reciprocatory movements, a spray gun swingable with said carrier, means for engaging said catch element at a. predetermined point in a' its gun in spraying register with an article on` said. holder and then to release said element, means operable to impart reciprocatory movements to saidA carrier during said swinging action to impart predetermined movement to the spray gun relative to the registering article, means operable during a predetermined portion of said reciprocatory movements to cause spraying operation of the gun, and means for returning the carrier to a predetermined position after a forward swinging movement.

13. A combination as called for in claim 12 wherein the article holder is rotatable relative to the rotatable member, together with means for rotating the holder and an article carried thereby during a portion at least of its movement in spraying register with the gun.

14. In a machine for spray coating articles, an article conveyor having a plurality of article holders successively movable through a predetermined arcuate path, a spray gun, a swinging carrier for the gun to swing it forward-through an arc concentric with and adjacent to said arcuate path at the speed of movement of each article as it moves with a holder through said arcuate path, means for operating the gun to spray a registering article as it moves therewith, means for imparting predetermined movements to the gun relative to an article as it moves therewith through the arcuate path and means operable to return the carrier to starting position after each forward swing.

15. A combination as called for in claim 14 wherein the gun is for inside spraying hollow articles and vertically registers therewith as it moves through the said arcuate path, together with means operable to impart a down and up stroke to the carrier to move its gun into and out of each registering article as it swings therewith.

16. In a machine for spray coating hollow articles, an article conveyor having a, plurality of article holders successively movable through a predetermined arcuate path, an inside and an outside spray gun, a swinging carrier for said guns operable to swing them through arcs concentric with and adjacent to said arcuate path, means operable to actuate said carrier to forwardly swing the: guns with and at the speed of the conveyor with each gun in spraying register with a particular article on the conveyor as it moves through a predetermined portion of said arcuate path, means operable to vertically reciprocate the carrier and guns during each forward swinging movement thereof, means for loperating each gun to spray a registering article during a predetermined portion of its swinging movement therewith, and means to return the carrier to swing starting position after each forward swing.

17. A combination as called for in claim 16 wherein one of the guns moves into and out of a registering article during each reciprocatory operation thereof to spray the interior of the article, together with means operable to rotate each holder and the article carried thereby as it moves through said `arcuate path.

18. A combination as called for in claim 16 wherein one of the guns is vertically rockable, together with means for imparting predetermined rocking movements to the rockable gun when reciprocated.

19. In a machine for Vspray coating articles, an article conveyor having aplurality of holders successively movable through a predetermined arcuate path, a spraying system including a spray gun, swingable means carrying the gun for swinging movements concentric with and adjacent to said arcuate path, means operable to actuate said carrying means to swing the gun forward with and in adjacent spraying relation to each article as it moves with the conveyor through .a predetermined portion of its arcuate path of movement, means for actuating the spraying system to effect a gun spraying action during at least a portion-of the gun movement with each article means operable during said gun and article movement to cause predetermined relative movements thereof in a plane substantially parallel to the axis of said path and means for retracting the -gun carrying means after each forward swing. ,f

20. In a machine for spray coating articles, an article conveyor having a plurality of holders successively movable through a predetermined arcuate path, a spraying system including a spray gun, a swing column rising'above said conveyor centrally of said path with its swing axis concentric thereto, said column having a laterally projecting arm carrying said gun for swinging movements concentric with and adjacent to said path, means operable to periodically impart a forward swinging movement to said column to swing said gun forward as each article carried by the conveyor moves into register therewith and at the speed of movement of the article, means to actuate the spraying system during at least a. portion of the gun movement with each registering article, means to move the gun relative to an article in substantially parallel relation to the axis of said path as the article moves through the path' and means for retracting the gun carrying means after each forward swing.

21. In a machine for spray coating articles, an article conveyor having a plurality of holders successively movable through a predetermined arcuate path, a spraying system including a spray gun. a swing column with its swing axis concentric to said arcuate path, a plunger swingable with said column and mounted for vertical reciprocatory movements therein and having at its upper end `a, laterally projecting arm carrying said spray gun over said arcuate path for movements lengthwise thereof, means operable to impart a forward swinging movement to said column and arm as each article moves through a predetermined portion of said path with said gun in spraying register with the article and moving forward at uniform speed therewith, means operable during said swinging movement to impart predetermined reciprocatory movement to said plunger to vertically move the gun in predetermined spraying relation to the article, means for causing an article spraying operation of said gun during predetermined portions of its swinging and reciprocatory movements, and means for returning the swing column'to starting position after each forward swinging stroke.

22. In a. machine for spray coating articles, an article conveyor having a, plurality of holders i successively movable through a predetermined throughsl predetermined portion of its arcuate gun carrying means relative to the article in a plane substantially parallel to the axis of said path, and means or retracting the gun carrying means after each forward swing.

RCBERT E. SYKES. BERNARD H. MOSER. 

